Euro 2024 qualifiers: Spain and Scotland book places in Germany

Erling Haaland's hopes of leading Norway into tournament rely on potential play-off

Gavi scored the only goal of the game in Spain's 1-0 win over Norway. EPA
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Three-time European champions Spain clinched their place at Euro 2024 after a 1-0 win at Norway on Sunday, a result which also sent Scotland through in Group A, while Turkey joined the growing list of qualified teams.

Barcelona midfielder Gavi scored the only goal early in the second half in Oslo, bouncing a shot into the corner to help Spain qualify for next year's tournament in Germany with two games to spare.

Spain moved top of Group A on goal difference, but the result ensured Scotland punched their ticket to the tournament as well, with Norway five points adrift going into their last match next month.

"I think today we were very good and in the end it bore fruit," said Gavi. "(They were checking the goal) I think for (Alvaro) Morata being offside, I don't know if he was, but in the end they gave it and I'm happy for that."

Norway have not qualified for a major competition since Euro 2000, but a team featuring Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard still have hope of advancing to the play-offs.

Georgia thrashed Cyprus 4-0 in the other game in that group.

Turkey capped off a momentous week in which they were announced as co-hosts of Euro 2032 with Italy, by turning on the style in the closing minutes to beat Latvia 4-0 and book their place in Germany.

Yunus Akgun broke the deadlock just before the hour and former Everton forward Cenk Tosun grabbed two late goals either side of a Kerem Akturkoglu strike to complete the victory for the Group D leaders.

They sit six points clear of Wales, who leapfrogged Croatia into second as Harry Wilson got both goals in a 2-1 victory over last year's World Cup semi-finalists in Cardiff.

Wales now have control of their own destiny heading into the concluding rounds of qualifying games in November.

Croatia find themselves at risk of missing a major tournament for the first time since the 2010 World Cup after back-to-back defeats.

Switzerland needed two late goals at home to Belarus to rescue a 3-3 draw but surrendered first place in Group I to Romania.

Xherdan Shaqiri curled the Swiss ahead in St Gallen before Belarus, beaten 5-0 by the Swiss in March, levelled through Max Ebong.

Denis Polyakov nodded Belarus in front at a corner and the visitors looked on course for a shock win when Dmitri Antilevski struck a third in the 84th minute.

Manuel Akanji tapped in from a Shaqiri free-kick to spark the last-ditch comeback for the hosts as substitute Zeki Amdouni saved Switzerland's blushes, scrambling in a 90th-minute equaliser.

Romania eased to a 4-0 victory over Andorra to move a point clear, but the Swiss have a game in hand after Thursday's trip to Tel Aviv was postponed due to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Tomas Soucek's 76th-minute penalty earned the Czech Republic a narrow 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands, bumping his team up to second in Group E behind Albania.

Poland struggled in the absence of injured striker Robert Lewandowski and had to come from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Moldova in Warsaw.

The Poles are third in the section but have played a game more than the top two. They host the Czechs in a must-win game on November 17.

Updated: October 16, 2023, 4:49 AM